Made It / Found It: Made It: Desk Clocks

A surprisingly few times over the years since making the small clocks, I've been asked about table top clocks. All mine are wall-dwelling, but recently I've been asked more often.

Customer: "Do you have stands for the small clocks?"
Me: "Uh...no, I'm sorry, I don't...buuut you can go to [insert big box hobby or everything store] and get one for, like, five bucks."
Customer: "......" (Translation: That's lame, I don't want to work for this.)
Me: "....." (Translation: I agree, I should really figure this out.)

So! After trying to decide just how to remedy this situation, I realized that my clock mechanism supplier probably had what I needed. Bingo!

AND the bottom comes off for easy shipping!

I decided to make some super mini clocks using this handy stand. They are quite unlike my vinyl-and-aluminum standard wares and more like my frameables. I have so many different kinds of found fabrics I can reproduce on paper, as well as acquired vintage/antique ephemera that I love using in my work. Add to that some luck running across discarded MDF for a sturdy backing, and we're in business.

Behold, the newness:

It has at all! Numbers! A floral motif! Function!

Vinyl dots on a decorative map from an old calendar.

Reproduced found polyester napkin...I think this works better.

Not just for desks! Blue and white reproduced fabric w/vinyl numbers.

And this is what a 5 x 5 clock looks like on its feet. Not bad!

To make these minis I cut MDF (medium-density fiberboard) into 3 1/2 x 3 1/2 inch squares, sanded the corners round like their larger aluminum brethren, sprayed the exposed edges black, drilled a hole in the middle for the mechanism, glued on the paper background after rummaging through my stack of papers, placed vinyl numbers or dots on the surface for the numbers, and FINALLY added the mechanism, hands, and securing nut.

After typing that all out, it doesn't really seem like it's a smaller feat than the other clocks, but I decided to make some smaller gift items that could be actual stocking stuffers for the season. I just can't stop with all the making!

Hopefully I'll sell some at the three shows I have up-coming:

Sunday, Nov. 24: